We went to Alexander Hamilton last weekend. I was absolutely blown away. Then I bought the CD Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)(Explicit)(2CD)
Alexander Hamilton, the hip hop musical
If you haven’t been following the hype, it is a hip hop musical about an American founding father, Alexander Hamilton (the guy on the $10). And it has been sold out and at outrageous prices for two years.
When interviewed about it, creator Lin-Manuel Miranda said he thought only history teachers would like it. Pretty small audience, right? But he made it anyway.
He also explained that 4 out 5 musicals NEVER recoup their initial investment. That’s a failure rate of 80%. But he made it anyway.
It was such a difficult project that he spent 5 or 6 years of his life doing it. But he made it anyway.
That’s a passion project. And he had a big payoff. Nominated for 11 Tonys. The CD has over 2800 reviews and a 5 star average on Amazon.
So if you get discouraged thinking about your struggle to bring to life something that is important to you, give yourself some credit for undertaking your passion project.
Maybe it is not the next Hamiton, but it definitely won’t be if you don’t go for it.
And while I am talking about entertainers like Lin-Manuel Miranda, I want to direct your attention to the amazing interview with James Corden on the Nerdist.
James Corden, Charming Guest
This is a long interview, but so enjoyable. James Corden is UK entertainer who is now the popular host of the Late Late Night Show here in the US. He is most well known for his “carpool karaoke” with celebrities. (He did one with Lin-Manuel Miranda here but my favorite is the one he did with Adele.)
There are so many things to love about this interview but here are my top things:
- Tired of not getting good parts because of his weight, he took control of his career and wrote his own series, which became a smash hit, Gavin & Stacy.
- Every day, to bring the energy to his show, he recalls how it felt when his previous shows ended and how he felt that very last performance. That’s how he keeps it fresh.
- When he thought up Carpool Karaoke, nearly every single musician they called turned it down. Thank goodness for Mariah Carey saying yes or that never would have made it off the ground.
He brings intense passion to his work. You can see it in everything he does whether it is hosting the Tony’s or singing in carpool karaoke. I really admire his positivity and energy.
